This was an amazing episode, right up until the ending when we got the “good news.”

The LegThe teams learn that their next destination is Hong Kong.

And the most dramatic airport drama of the season begins.

There are two flights, China Airlines (8AM departure) and Malaysia Air (9:15AM departure). China Air opens at 5AM while Malaysia Air opens at 4AM.

Oswald & Danny go the Malaysia Air office early and are 1st on the Standby List. The BQs are 2nd and Eric & Danielle are 3rd. The BQs try to get their names bumped up past the other two, it doesn’t work. Then, Oswald & Danny make their way to China Airlines next while Charla & Mirna go straight there. Meanwhile, the BQs and Eric & Danielle go to the ticket counter. Oswald & Danny and C&M get on the list first while the BQs are trying to get their names above the other two teams.

Oswald & Danny and Charla & Mirna try to get into the China Airlines office.

Mirna: “Good luck Yield Queens!”

Oswald & Danny are the only team to make it on the first flight and they give Charla & Mirna their confirmation number for the 2nd flight since they are first on the list. The BQs will have none of that and we see a little confrontation between them and Mirna. They both get on the flight though and Eric & Danielle have to take another flight arriving later.

In Hong Kong, Oswald & Danny decide to take their 2nd Fast Forward of the Race. In this Fast Forward, they must ride in a car with a professional stunt driver and take part in a high-speed action scene. It was actually pretty exciting. They arrive at the Pit Stop first.

Meanwhile, the next flight arrives. Charla & Mirna glide along and find their next clue is a Detour.

Oswald & Danny go flying.

Everybody is Kung Fu fighting.

In the Detour, teams have to choose between Kung Fu Fighting or Lost in Translation. In Kung Fu Fighting, teams have to climb up 11 stories of bamboo scaffolding while being surrounded by Kung Fu stuntmen fighting around them. In Lost in Translation, teams have to search through tons of signs for one sign that matches the picture.

Dustin & Kandice finish the Kung Fu Fighting and head to the Road Block.

Charla & Mirna hesitate on which Detour to choose, but ultimately go with the Kung Fu, though unsure about Charla being able to climb. However, Charla makes it look easy and Mirna makes for a hilarious time as she herself fights off some Kung Fu warriors (clever editing TAR editors!).

At the Road Block, they have to kick their way through doors to find their next clue pasted on a wall. Kandice does the Road Block and they are told to make their way to Victoria Park where they have to guide a Travelocity Roaming Gnome across a model boat pond on a model junk. .

Mirna fights.

Charla loves kicking things.

Meanwhile, Charla & Mirna are driven straight to Hong Kong Island when they were supposed to take a ferry there. So they ride from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back, and they make their way to the old police headquarters. Charla does the Road Block, while expressing her love of kicking things.

Eric & Danielle are bringing up the rear, and it looks like they are neck and neck with Charla & Mirna, but the girls finish 3rd and E&D finish last. And the moment I was dreading, Phil gives them the “good news” of a non-elimination. Yay! [/sarcasm]

The Teams

Charla & Mirna

Kind of like focus episodes on Lost or Power Rangers (!), this totally felt like a focus episode on Charla & Mirna, and it was fun. I have to take note though, when Mirna talks to her “friends” at the ticket office or at the counters, she always seems to be just kidding around and I think some people take her too seriously (I’m looking at you BQs!). Charla absolutely rocked this episode. She climbed up an 11 story building! And then she does the kickin’ Road Block. Add to that their little moments together wishing in the Harbor and wheeling around in the airport (Heelies!). Charla & Mirna for the win.

Oswald & Danny had a legendary leg their first time in Hong Kong. Not so much this time, but it was interesting to see that they (and looks like E&D) were running out of money, giving their last 20 (HK?) dollars to the toll. Anyway, they have been doing an outstanding job all season long and they can easily win the whole thing.

Oswald & Danny

Dustin and Kandice

Dustin & Kandice, I saw some things from them that annoyed the hell out of me in TAR10. A little cocky at the airport with an air of smug-ness throughout the leg, but they’re still okay in my book. (No messing with Mirna though!) Still, they very much deserve to be in the final four, as well as the final three. Two straight seasons of TAR and they are still going strong.

Eric & Danielle, grr… I was definitely expecting a non-elim, so I was dreading the ending as they were in last place the entire leg. What luck these two have. Even though I don’t like them and I still think they shouldn’t even have been considered for TARAS, I still believe that Eric can run a better Race by himself, and Danielle, even with a few tantrums in airports this season, isn’t as bad a whiner as some in the past. But I still hope they are eliminated next.

Eric and Danielle

A Plea to TAR ProducersPlease, please, please… bring back the old, REAL Fast Forward! I’m just sad that the FF has become nothing but an advertisement for a new car (TAR7) or Travelocity. Before TAR5 and the introduction of the Yield, the FF brought about extra drama, gave underdogs a chance to catch up, and actually took some strategy to use. Now instead of deciding when it was “most advantageous to go for it,” if you’re first, you take it. I shuddered last season when it looked like it was going to be relegated to being an after-thought of a non-elimination penalty. I understand the logistics problems or that TAR wants to save money, but they could easily find something easy and cheap to produce in each destination. As long as its not eating 3 feet of sausage or getting your head shaved.

Remember, be sure to watch THE FINISH LINE every Monday at 1PM ET/10AM PT at CBS.com and watch the new ELIMINATION STATION at CBS.com where we all get to see what goes on in Sequesterville!

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 11-10Mirna: “We’re gonna bring on the muscles.” Mirna: *points to her head* This muscle here is the one we try to use the most.”

Mirna: “Shh… Close that door. Close that door!” Desmond: “Its okay, keep it open.” Mirna: “No! Its too cold! Way too cold.”

Mirna: “Look, take your padded bra and the stuff you’ve got stuffed in there and take it elsewhere.”

Danielle: “What do you want to do?” Eric: “Go stand in a puddle, drop your hairdryer in it and kill ourselves.”

Mirna: “Good luck Yield Queens! Good luck!”

Mirna: “Can you tell these Kung Fu warriors to go away a little. I hope they don’t fall on my head.”

Mirna: “We are trying to make love, not war.”

Mirna: “Oh, they’re making it shakey. Okay, okay. No more, I’m coming to fight you. Good job Charla, this is fun, is all heck. Hong Kong! I love you!”

And a little note from me.And so, I’m off to the Philippines tonight (while pretending I’m trying to get myself on the earliest possible flight and then having to hurry to make a connection in Manila… maybe wheel around on heelies in the airport and find a ticket offices to camp out at).

I just hope I’ll be able to get AXN or Studio 23 in the Philippine provinces so I can see TAR <IMG height=15 alt=”So with limited (read:no) internet access where I’ll be staying most of the next two weeks, enjoy the next two episodes (I’m sure they’ll be awesome) and see you all right before the finale!